Abstract:
Background: Women live longer than men and are more likely to live alone; this makes dealing
with chronic illnesses more of a challenge for older women. Therefore, an
understanding of what living with chronic illness is like for these women is essential
in ensuring health professionals can meet their health needs.
Aim of Research: The aim of this research study is to explore factors that older women living with
comorbid chronic illnesses identify as key to maintaining or improving their quality of
life.
Design: This study uses a qualitative approach, with a descriptive methodology. Face-to-face: interviews were conducted with three women over the age of 80 who had been
diagnosed with more than one chronic illness. These interviews were audiotaped, and
the data analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings: What emerged from this analysis of older women was the need for them to create
meaning in their life, which is further explicated through three main themes: (1)
coping with changing health, (2) the impact of family, and (3) attitude. Attitude to
life and having a positive outlook were all factors these participants expressed as
being essential to maintaining their quality of life.
Conclusion: The quality of life of these participants is enhanced by the ability of these women to
create meaning in their life. They do this by integrating their wealth of past
experience into their present, reflecting back on their lives, but still gaining enjoyment
from the here and now. Understanding of how chronic illness impacts, and is
managed, by these women leads health care professionals to a greater understanding
of being older and living with comorbid chronic illness. The findings of this research
may assist nurses working alongside older people to focus on the making of meaning,which may facilitate these people to retain a sense of autonomy and control over their
life.
